Five Time Scorpius Told Rose He Loved Her
by ruth3nium
Summary: ...and the One Time He Didn't Have To - Some things just come naturally. Rose and Scorpius were always that way. A somewhat drabble-y look at their relationship through the years.
1. Third Year

Scorpius looked up at Rose. Her red hair had fallen over her face, creating a barrier that kept Scorpius from trying to talk to her. Scorpius knew Rose well enough to know this was intentional.

Rose had been avoiding him ever since school had started, doing things like ducking into the girl's bathroom every time she saw him, not sitting next to him, never making eye contact, and flat out refusing to be alone with him. The only reason they had wound up alone in the library today was because Albus had suddenly remembered "a previous engagement with his lady love," whatever that meant. Albus was not a good liar.

Scorpius scratched at his paper with his quill. It seemed like one of his biggest fears was being realized: Rose _liked_ him and was avoiding him because she was afraid she was going to accidentally tell him. Scorpius frowned, both because he couldn't remember what unicorn horns were used for and because he didn't know how to let Rose down easy. Maybe the horns were used in some sort of beautification potion?

"Do you have a problem?" Rose had looked up now. Her blue eyes were big. Merlin, she had it bad.

"Uh, just trying to remember what unicorn horns are used for," Scorpius said, gesturing at his parchment.

"Unicorn horns are in most antidotes to common poisons, along with

Bezoar and mistletoe berries," Rose recited almost mechanically.

"Merlin, Rosie, you're a genius," Scorpius said while writing that down on his parchment. "I love you so much for this."

The two froze, and Rose's eyes grew even bigger. Neither spoke for at least a minute.

Then Rose burst into laughter.

_What?_

"Oh, thank god." Rose pushed her hair out of her face and wiped tears from her eyes.

"What?" Scorpius said, aloud this time.

"God, I am so glad you said that."

Oh, Merlin, she would not take this well.

"Look, Rose, I didn't mean it like I, you know, _love_ you-"

"God, Merlin, no!" Rose said. "I don't love you like that, either."

"Then why are you glad I said it?"

"Cause I was afraid one of would swoon or something if that happened, and look, we're both fine!"

"Is that why you have been acting so weird? You've been avoiding me." Scorpius held up a hand to keep Rose quiet before she could even start to protest. "You have. It's not all in my head, Rose. Albus noticed, too."

Rose started picking at her skirt. "Well… You know how Albus and Alice started dating? And Erin and Quagmire? And pretty much all the rest of the third years? I was worried that would happen to us."

"What? Why?"

"Well, a lot of them have been friends even longer than we have, and with everyone else is paired off, everyone kind of just expects us to date, too." Rose looked up from her skirt and began rubbing at her temples with one hand. "But I didn't want that, and I started to worry that you did, or you would, so I thought it would be easier to just, you know, not tempt you or whatever."

"Rose, I do not want to date you. I will never want to date you," Scorpius said.

Rose looked him in the eye and gave him a small smile. "Am I that awful?"

Scorpius raised his eyebrows.

"I don't ever want to date you, either, Scorp."

"Good. We're over this now?"

"Yeah," Rose said. "Friends?"

"Yeah, whatever." Scorpius smiled sheepishly at her.

"Good." Rose cleared her throat. "Now that all that's behind us, can we please talk about how gross Albus and Alice are?"

Scorpius smiled, and, at least for now, all his worries were gone.

* * *

Author's Note: What's more cliched than a Five Times fic? Pretty much nothing. But after years of awkwardly writing crappy fics, I have finally decided to post something. More updates to come, and if you would favorite, follow, or review it would be appreciated.


	2. Fourth Year

Rose was fast asleep against the train's window. Sunlight streamed through her hair, making her head look like it was on fire.

Scorpius lifted his camera and -_click__-_ took a picture.

"Huh?" Rose woke up suddenly.

"You were asleep for a while," Albus said.

"I was up late last night."

"School's on holiday, Rosie, so unless you were up partying..." Scorpius let his sentence trail off. He knew she was up late reading. Albus knew she was up late reading. Merlin, the entire school could probably figure out that she was up late reading.

Rose looked over at Scorpius, and then her eyes trailed down to his camera. "You weren't taking pictures, were you?"

"No," Scorpius said, stretching his legs across the compartment.

"Liar," Albus said. Seeing Rose's face, he added, "Most of them were of a chocolate frog wrapper he said defined, what was it, Scorp?"

"The over-consumerism of wizarding culture in the modern day."

"Yeah, that," Albus said. "Whatever the hell that means."

"You're such a hipster, Scorp," Rose said, poking Scorpius on the leg.

"Whatever," Scorpius said as he leaned back further.

Rose pulled out a book and started reading, while Albus stared intently out the window, hoping for a sign of Marisa Hooper. Scorpius sighed and began staring out the window.

After a while, Albus, apparently having seen Marisa, said, "Oh, Merlin, there she is."

"Go talk to her, Al," Rose said.

"I can't- I mean, I really probably shouldn't-"

"Go talk to her, Al," Scorpius said.

Albus looked out into the hall after Marisa longingly and then, apparently having finally made up his mind, practically ran out of the compartment after her.

"Think he's actually got a shot with her?" Scorpius asked, turning away from the window.

"Not a chance." Rose didn't look up from her book. "But he should probably figure that out now, instead of spending the rest of the year drooling over her."

"If you say so."

Rose looked up from her book after a minute. "How many pictures did you take of me, Scorpius?"

"A few. You had a particularly impressive booger hanging out of your nose." Scorpius gestured to the area around his nose as he spoke.

Rose scowled, but then rubbed at her nose. "Arse."

"Loser."

Rose rolled her eyes and reopened her book.

Scorpius fidgeted. He couldn't keep his eyes fixed on one place, bouncing from the window to the ceiling to the door. Rose did not look up.

Finally breaking, Scorpius asked, "So, you looking forward to Christmas?"

"I guess," Rose said, not looking up from her book. "It's always a little crazy, but in a good way. You?"

"Things are really weird at home."

"Why? Are your parents okay?" Rose snapped her book closed

Scorpius sucked in his breath. "Grandfather Malfoy is dying."

"Oh," Rose put her book aside completely. "I thought you hadn't talked to him in a while."

"I haven't. Not since this happened." Scorpius gestured to his Hufflepuff tie.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Are you going to go, like, see him or something?"

"My parents will probably make me."

Rose bit her lip. "I think he's a piece of shit."

"Rose, don't say that."

Rose looked him in the eye. The intensity in her eyes made them seem darker. "No, listen to me, Scorpius. You're honestly one of the best people I know, and if that old bastard can't see it, well, then he doesn't deserve your time. He wouldn't give a crap if you died, why the hell should you care about him?"

"Rose..." Scorpius shook his head. "It's just not that easy."

Rose sighed, all the anger leaving her at once. "I know."

"But thank you."

Rose gave him a closed lip smile. "I wish I could help you."

"You do," Scorpius said.

Rose gave him a real smile.

"Love ya, Weasley," Scorpius said, bumping his foot against her hip.

"You too, Malfoy," Rose said just before she pushed his feet down.

"Hey!" Scorpius grabbed the wrapper that had been the subject of his photography and flung it at Rose.

Rose giggled as the wrapper just floated to the ground several feet away from her face.

Scorpius scowled. "I'll get you next time, Rose."

Rose smiled sweetly at him. "I'm sure you will."

"I will!"

Rose just kept smiling at him as she once again picked up her book and began reading.

Scorpius scowled and glared at her. But the more he glared, the more he felt like there was something he couldn't quite get, like a word on the tip of his tongue.

It was probably nothing.

* * *

AN - Just a quick note about Scorpius and his photography, he's totally a little artsy hipster who does everything the muggle way. He has his own little dark room somewhere in Hogwarts, and he's totally pretentious about it. This'll probably become more relevant/obvious later, but I just thought I'd share it now.

Also, OMG, thank you so much to everyone who followed/favorited after the last chapter. You are all super awesome. If you haven't already reviewed/favorited/followed, it would be awesome if you did, but just knowing that even a couple people out there are reading this and liking it makes me so happy.


	3. Fifth Year

**Brief reminder that this story is rated T for some strong language.**

* * *

Rose was sitting on Scorpius's bed. It seemed weird. Rose had been a separate part of his life for so long that seeing her now, surrounded by his familiar stone walls and indie rock posters, just felt wrong.

Rose smiled slightly at him. "You holding up alright?"

"Yeah." Scorpius had shoved his hands into his pockets and was now looking anywhere but Rose.

"Scorp." Rose patted space on the bed next to her.

Scorpius sighed and sat next to her.

"You holding up alright?" Rose asked again.

"I don't know." Scorpius scowled and ran his fingers through his hair. "I just don't fucking know. I mean, he's dead, but I don't know if I give a fuck."

Rose smiled slightly. "It's okay."

"It doesn't feel like it is, though."

"I don't think people always react how they should or know exactly how they feel. It's okay to not know." Rose had looked down and was twisting her hands together.

"Right." Scorpius gave Rose a bitter smile. "It's enough to make me want to go raid my dad's Firewhiskey stash, though."

"Scorpius, drinking isn't the answer."

"If Al had been able to come, he would have been all for me drinking."

"Al isn't here, and you know he'd say the same thing, anyway."

Scorpius kicked at the ground. "It was just a joke, Rose. You don't need to take it so seriously."

"I'm not!"

"Merlin, Rose, you're just so useless right now."

Rose turned red. "You're right, Scorp. Right now, I am useless. I don't fucking know what to do. I can't hold you while you cry, I can't help you take a leak on your grandfather's grave, and I can't help you throw a party celebrating his death. All I can do is sit here and keep you from doing something stupid." Rose choked back a sob. "I don't like seeing you like this."

Scorpius reached over and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I don't like being like this either, Rose."

"I'm really sorry." Rose's voice was muffled by his chest.

"I'm sorry too."

"God, this is fucked up. The bastard's screwing with you from the grave."

"Yeah." Scorpius sighed.

Rose pulled away from him. "Sorry."

"No, no, it's cool," Scorpius said, standing up. "Uh, you want a Butterbeer or something?"

"As long as it isn't that organic, free house elf shit my mother buys."

Scorpius half-smiled. "Um..."

"God, Malfoy, you might actually be worse than my mother."

"You still want one?"

"I've been gagging it down for fifteen years of my life. I can handle it." Rose waved a hand at him.

"Great."

Scorpius started to leave, but turned around in the doorway. He rested one hand on the doorway and looked at Rose. He felt like he had something more to say, he just couldn't think of anything.

"What?" Rose said, looking up at him and smiling.

"Nothing, just-" Scorpius sighed. "Thank you. I know I act like a total dick sometimes, but I still love you, Rose."

"Love you, too. Now go get me my damn Butterbeer, arse." Rose threw a pillow at him.

Scorpius laughed and half-heartedly ran out the room. He could figure out the rest of this shit later.

* * *

AN: This chapter took me a while, but here it finally is. Thank you so, so much to everyone who read, favorited, followed, and reviewed last chapter. You all honestly made my day. If you guys could keep it up, that would be great! The next chapter should be up soon.


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